Apparatus for dispensing liquid adhesive



Dec. 19, 1967 D. A. CAULFORD ETAL 3,358,645

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID ADHESIVE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 17, 1966 R. PH/N INVEN [0R5 DONALD A. CAULFORD JAMES Attorney Dec. 19, 1967 D. A. CAULFORD ETAL 3,358,645

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID ADI-1B5 IVE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17, 1966 INVENTORS DONALD A. CAULFORD JAMES R. PH/N Attbrne y 1967 D. A. CAULFORD ETAL 3,358,645

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID ADHESIVE Filed Jan. 17, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 as g FIG. 3

' INVENTORS DONALD A. CAULFORD JAMES R. PH/N A90 4, JW

I Attorney Dec. 19, 1967 D. A. CAULFTORD ETAL 3,353,645

v APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID ADHESIVE Filed Jan. 17, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ins 118 i 726 728 INVENTORS DONALD A. CAULFORD JAMES R PH/N A Home y United States Patent 3,358,645 APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID ADHESIVE Donald Alexander Caulford and James Robert Phin,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignors to Canadian Stackpole Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Jan. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 521,154 7 Claims. (Cl. 118-262) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for dispensing liquid adhesive to a label prior to its application to a container; the apparatus comprising a receptacle for the liquid adhesive, a substantially vertical adhesive applicator roll, a spiral threaded roll mounted in a sleeve and extending above and below said sleeve to expel liquid adhesive onto the applicator roll, and horizontally disposed peripheral slits on the applicator roll and a strip adapted to cyclically reciprocally move inwards in each of said slits.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing liquid adhesive and has particular relation to dispensing liquid adhesive to one side of a label prior to its application to a container.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for dispensing liquid adhesive uniformly to a product such as a label. A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus wherein adjustment can be made to the thickness of adhesive applied to a label.

As herein disclosed the apparatus includes a receptacle for containing a bath of liquid adhesive; the receptacle may have heating elements positioned beneath to render solid adhesive into the molten condition. Extending upwards at one end of the receptacle is a casing which provides a sleeve containing a supported rotatable screw. The upper portion of the screw projects from the sleeve and the bottom end of the screw extends below the casing into the bath of liquid adhesive; rotation of the screw forces the adhesive upwards, the latter being eventually discharged from the portion of the screw which extends above the sleeve. Adjacent the screw and disposed in close parallel relationship to the sleeve is an applicator roll, which is preferably driven with its upper end geared to the upper end of the screw in order to rotate the latter. The adhesive discharged from the upper portion of the screw is transferred to the applicator roll and the excess adhesive flows down and out of the casing into the bath below.

The applicator roll is provided with spaced apart horizontally disposed slits extending around its periphery. Positioned in each of the slits in the region where the applicator roll contacts a label is one of a plurality of plates, an intermediate portion of each plate being below the surface of the applicator roll; the plates collectively form a grid which guides and thus prevents the label from being carried around the applicator roll. The plates are arranged to reciprocate at predetermined intervals to break any stringers of glue which might be formed on the applicator roll.

A doctor roll is provided being disposed in parallel relationship to the applicator roll on the side removed from the sleeve, the doctor roll being adjustable in relation to the applicator roll to adjust the thickness of the liquid adhesive.

It is a further feature that the doctor roll is provided with fins positioned in the slits and intended to keep the latter clear of adhesive thus ensuring that the reciprocal movement of the grid plates will not be impeded.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

3,358,645 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a back perspective view with part cut away of the same preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a plan elevation of the same preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross section taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross section taken along the lines 55 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 the adhesive dispenser, generally denoted by the numeral 10, is mounted on a receptacle, generally denoted by the numeral 12, the latter being formed of a base 14 with opposed walls 16 and 18 connected by side walls 20 and 22. In the description the wall 16 will be designated as front while the opposed wall 18 will be designated as back thus orienting the dispenser in relation to the receptacle 12. Lugs 24 are provided on the exterior of the side walls and 22 for the purpose of securing the receptacle 12 to a surrounding platform, not shown.

The front wall 16 of the receptacle 12 has two integral abutments 26 and 28, of the shape illustrated'more particularly in FIGURE 2, secured to the base 14; the abutment 26 is also integral with the portion of the side wall 20 adjoining the front wall 16 and the abutment 26 extends somewhat rearwardly towards the back wall 18 by comparison with the abutment 28. The abutment 26 has a vertically disposed open-ended circular channel 30 the lower end of which communicates with the receptacle 12 by means of a port 32. Extending rearwardly from the abutment 26 is a vertical wall 34 secured to the base 14 of the receptacle 12; the vertical wall 34 terminates short of the back wall 18 and thereby divides the receptacle 12 into communicating arms 36 and 38 with the port 32 connecting with the arm 38. The abutment 28 and the underlying base 14 has a recess 40 as shown in FIGURE 5.

A substantially rectangular plate 42 is secured to the upper edge of the front wall 16 and along the adjacent portions of the side walls 20 and 22 so as to cover the abutment 26 and thereby the abutment 28. The plate 42 is provided with a circular orifice 44, see FIGURE 5, which is aligned with the open-ended channel 30- of the abutment 26. A substantial portion of the upper side of the plate 42 is recessed as at 46 leaving a flat land 48 which extends to the edge. An orifice 50 positioned adjacent the side wall 22 is provided in the recess 46, the orifice 50 being clear of the underlying abutment 28 and connecting with the arm 36 in the receptacle 12.

A vertically disposed casing 52 is secured to the plate 42 in the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the lower end of the casing 52 resting on the land 48. The casing 52 which is open at the front includes a side wall 54 merging into a back wall 56 which, in turn, merges with a cylindrical portion 58 forming a sleeve, the axis of which is aligned with the orifice 44 of the plate 42.

The upper portion 60 of the sleeve 58 has a slightly enlarged internal and external diameter and the entire length of the upper portion 60 is cut away to provide a vertically aligned opening 62 disposed as shown in FIG- URE 4.

A spiral threaded member 64 is positioned in the sleeve 58 with just suflicient clearance to permit rotation therein, the diameter of the spiral threaded member 64 being enlarged in the upper portion 60 of the sleeve 58 in order to provide the same clearance for the spiral member 64 as in the remainder of the sleeve 58 and to discharge adhesive through the opening 62.

The lower portion of the spiral threaded member 64 extends through the orifice 44 to a point where it terminates below the level of the liquid adhesive in the circular channel-30.- The reduced upper end 66 otthe spiral member 64 projecting from the upper portion 60 of the sleeve 58 is journalled in a horizontally disposed plate 68 positioned onthe top. of the 'casing- 52; The plate- 68 corresponds in outline to the plate '42 and is secured thereto by means of tie rods 70' which extend through cars 72 provided at the base of 11160381115 52: Scraper or cleaning material 74 rests on top of thespiral threaded member 64* being held in slo'ts cut in the underside of the top plate 68.

An applicator roll'76 is positioned in the casing 52 in parallel relationship to the sleeve 58, the perimeter of the applicator roll 76 being in closest relation to the sleeve 58 in the region of the vertically aligned opening 62; The reduced lower end .78 of the applicator roll 76 is journalled in the plate 42 below that'p'orti'on' of the recess 46 adjacent the orifice 44: The reduced end 78' then extends through the abutment 28, being journalled therein,- to project as a shaft into the recess 40; the shaft 78 provides a'means for attaching' a drive, not shown, to rotate'the applicator roll 76 in the direction of travel of a label 80 and its carrier 82. The applicator roll'76 has a series of spaced apart circular slits 84 each being of substantially the same depth.

The reduced upper end 86 of the applicator roll 76 is journalled in the plate 68 and extendstherefrorn to carry a gear 88which meshes with another gear 90 secured to the reduced upper end 66 of the spiral threaded member 64 exterior of the plate 68. The cleaning material 74 is positionedaround the reduced end 86 of the applicator roll 76 in'the manner already described for the spiral threaded member 64; A cover plate 92 for the gears 88 and 90 is secured to thetop of the plate 681 For the purpose of adjusting the position of the lower end" of the spiral member 64 in the receptacle 12 the reduced upper end 66 extends through the cover plate 92 and carries, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a knurled nut 94 which is threaded thereon to permit rotation of the spiral member 64.

A- docto'r roll 96 is contained in the casing- 52, as shown more particularly in FIGURE 4, being positioned in parallel relationship to the applicator roll 76 on the side removed from the spiral threaded member 64. The" lower end of the doctor roll 96 is aligned in that portion of the recess 46 in the plate 42 which is adjacent the orifice 50.

The doctrir roll 96' is hollow and is supported by upperand lower journals 98 and moan a stationary shaft 102 The upper'and'lowe'r ends 104 and 106 of the shaft 102 are supported in the upper plate 68 and the lower plate 42' respectively; it will be observed from FIGURE 5 that the upper and lower ends 104 and 106 are identically offset with respect to the axis of the shaft 102.

A triangular member 108 is's'ec'ured adjacent one apex to that portion of the offset end 104 of the shaft 102 which extends" exterior of the p1ate68; an arcuate slot 110 is provided in the trian'gularirnember 108 and a screw 112 passes through the arcuate slot'110; the screw 112 being threaded into' the plate 68. It willbe appreciated that the position of the doctor roll 96 may be adjusted in relation to the applicator roll 76 by releasing the screw 112 and rotating thetriangular member 108 and thereby the offset end 104. As a result, and depending on the direction of rotation, the axis of the stationary shaft 102 is moved towards or away from the applicator roll 76;

' there-by the distance between the surface of the doctor roll slits 84 and frictional contact will cause rotationof the doctor' roll 96 through the driven actuatedapplicatorroll 76. However, independently of such contact and in the positions of wider adjustment the liquid adhesive on the driven applicator roll 76 has sufiicient surface tension to cause rotation of the adjacent doctor roll 96. It will be appreeiatedthat the relative positionof thescrew 112 and the doctor roll 96 would be reversed with respect to the appli'cator'roll 76 if the label 'was moved in th'e'o'pposite direction to that iridicatd'b'y the arrow in' FIGURE 2.

A plate 116 is verticallydisposed ajt the front of the casing 52 adjacent the applicator roll 76 on the side removed from the spiral threaded member 64. The face 118 of the plate lle'n'earest the applicator roll 76 is' bevelled in a rearward direction. Behind the plate 116 is another plate 120 which is supported on journal ends.

122 carried in the upper and lower horizontal plates 68 and 42 respectively; The front plate 116 is secured to the plate 120 by meansof screws 124 which also co-operatively hold in position horizontally disposed plane fingers 126, which are aligned with the slits 84. The fingers 126" form a grid which prevents a label 80 being carriedaround the applicator roll 76' through the holding action of the adhesive; however, to permit unimpeded transfer of the adhesive to the passinglabel 80 a portion of each finger 126 intermediate its end is dimensioned so that it may rest in a' respective'slit 8'4" with the outer edge of the finger 126 below the surface of the applicator roll The inner edge of'th'e intermediate portion otea'ch plane finger 126 is curvate as shown in FIGURE 4to conform end of the crank arm 130' is conneete'd'to one end offa;

spring 152, the-other end of which extends rearwardly beingnxed to a post 134A step 136 seats a'gatnstth rear of the crank arm 1'30 intermediate or the spring 132 and the top journal end 122. The step 136 is adjustable so thatthe' forward end of an intermediate portion of the fingers 126 he just below the surface of the applicator roll 76*as' explained below. The other end of the crank arfir'130 is connected to' an actuating member, not shown.-

The part of the opening betweenthe applicator roll 76" and the sleeve 58 is bridged by spaced apart plane fin ers 138 which are horizontally disposed and held in position by two co-operating plates 1'40 and 142 which are secured in fixed relation to the top plates '42 and 68'; The tree end of each (tithe-fingersiss" terminate just short of the ap ncatdrron 7 6.

The operation-of the device will be apparehtfrorn' the description in thatactuation of the applicator roll 76] through the shaft 78 causes the screw 112 to rotate in H the sleeve 58 with the result that liquid adhesive is raised upwards therein and expelled from the top portion of the screw 112 to flow down the applicator roll 76. The thick ness of the liquid adhesive is determined by therelative position of the doctor roll 96- and the applicator roll 76, after which the adhesive is carried round by the latter and applied tdthe-l-a-bel 80. The excess of adhesive flows down through the orifice 44 in the bottom plate 42 to circulate in the receptacle 12. At desired intei'va'lslth'e crank arm 130 is actuated with the result that the fingers 126' move inwards in the slits 84 to break any gluestrin'gers' which might have beenformed. With release of the crank arm 130 the fingers 126 rotate outwards to their normal position where they form aguid'e to prevent the label 80 adhering to the applicator roll '76.

While certain embodiments have been illustrated'and described for the purpose of disclosure, it will be under stood that the invention is not limited thereto, but contemplates such modifications and other embodiments as may be utilized without departing from the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing liquid adhesive comprising a receptacle for holding said adhesive, a substantially vertical applicator roll supported on said receptacle above said adhesive, a sleeve in close proximity to said roll and in substantial parallel relation thereto, said sleeve being supported by said receptacle, a spiral threaded member rotatable in said sleeve and means for supporting said spiral member, the lower end of said spiral member extending through said sleeve into said liquid adhesive and the upper end of said spiral member projecting from said sleeve to expel adhesive onto said applicator roll, said applicator roll located in a casing, said casing being positioned over one end of said receptacle, said casing having a vertical opening through which the surface of said applicator roll projects, said applicator roll being provided with horizontally disposed peripheral slits and a plurality of strips extending across said opening with a portion of each of said strips being located in a said respective slit, and means for cyclically reciprocally moving said strips inwards in said slits.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the outer edge of said portion of said strips tangential to the periphery of said applicator roll is recessed within each said respective slits, and wherein the depth of each slit is such as to accommodate the total breadth of each of said respective strips when said strip is cyclically reciprocally withdrawn into said slit.

3. Apparatus for dispensing liquid adhesive comprising a receptacle for holding said adhesive, a substantially vertical applicator roll supported on said receptacle above said adhesive, a sleeve in close proximity to said roll and in substantial parallel relation thereto, said sleeve being supported by said receptacle, a spiral threaded member rotatable in said sleeve and means for supporting said spiral member, the lower end of said spiral member extending through said sleeve into said liquid adhesive and the upper end of said spiral member projecting from said sleeve to expel adhesive onto said applicator roll, said receptacle having an intermediate wall forming communi eating channels, a plate mounted on said receptacle, said plate having spaced apart openings, one opening being aligned with said sleeve and the end of one of said channels and the other opening comunicating with the end of the other of said channels to provide circulation of the adhesive over said applicator roll.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said plate is recessed on its upper surface in the region of said opening communicating with said other channel and said applicator roll is journalled in said recess, the excess of adhesive on said applicator ro-ll being collected in said recess.

5. Apparatus for dispensing liquid adhesive comprising a receptacle for holding said adhesive, a substantially vertical applicator roll supported on said receptacle above said adhesive, a sleeve in close proximity to said roll and in substantial parallel relation thereto, said sleeve being supported by said receptacle, a spiral threaded member rotatable in said sleeve and means for supporting said spiral member, the lower end of said spiral member extending through said sleeve into said liquid adhesive and the upper end of said spiral member projecting from said sleeve to expel adhesive onto said applicator roll, said applicator roll located in a casing, said casing being positioned over one end of said receptacle, said casing having a vertical opening through which the surface of said applicator roll projects, said applicator roll being provided with horizontally dispersed peripheral slits and a plurality of strips extending across said opening with a portion of each of said strips being located in a said respective slit, and means for cyclically reciprocally moving said strips inwards in said slits, wherein said means for reciprocal movement of said strips comprises a crank arm supported on said casing, means at one end for actuating said crank arm and pivotal means supported by said casing, said pivotal means supporting said strips, said pivotal means being secured to the other end of said crank arm.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the end of said crank arm connected to said pivotal means bears against a stop which is adjustable to vary the depth of entry of said strips in said slits and resilient means for maintaining said crank arm against said stop.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the end of each of said strips removed from its supporting pivotal means is provided with opposed dimples to guide its entry into a respective slit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,587,638 8/ 1926 Feybush et a1 118262 X 1,957,470 8/1934 Milrnoe. 2,195,323 3/1940 Tickelis 1l8261 X 2,991,753 11/ 1961 Dearsley 118-602 X CHARLES A. WILMUTH, Primary Examiner.

R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID ADHESIVE COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE FOR HOLDING SAID ADHESIVE, A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL APPLICATOR ROLL SUPPORTED ON SAID RECEPTACLE ABOVE SAID ADHESIVE, A SLEEVE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID ROLL AND IN SUBSTANTIAL PARALLEL RELATION THERETO, SAID SLEEVE BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID RECEPTACLE, A SPIRAL THREADED MEMBER ROTATABLE IN SAID SLEEVE AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID SPIRAL MEMBER, THE LOWER END OF SAID SPIRAL MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLEEVE INTO SAID LIQUID ADHESIVE AND THE UPPER END OF SAID SPIRAL MEMBER PROJECTING FROM SAID SLEEVE TO EXPEL ADHESIVE ONTO SAID APPLICATOR ROLL, SAID APPLICATOR ROLL LOCATED IN A CASING, SAID CASING BEING POSITIONED OVER ONE END OF SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID CASING HAVING A VERTICAL OPENING THROUGH WHICH THE SURFACE OF SAID APPLICATOR ROLL PROJECTS, SAID APPLICATOR ROLL BEING PROVIDED WITH HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED PERIPHERAL SLITS AND A PLURALITY OF STRIPS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID OPENING WITH A PORTION OF EACH OF SAID STRIPS BEING LOCATED IN A SAID RESPECTIVE SLIT, AND MEANS FOR CYCLICALLY RECIPROCALLY MOVING SAID STRIPS INWARDS IN SAID SLITS. 